The field of endeavor to which the invention pertains is the art and science of filtration and water movement for the marine aquarium.
For the hobbyist and researcher alike there are many devices and methods available to aid in keeping marine fish and invertebrates in the aquarium. Several criteria must be met for there to be a successful well-kept salt water aquarium. The water used must be natural sea water or purified water with the correct amount of proper salt mixed in. The aquarium must be kept within an adequate temperature range, it must have proper light and there must be adequate water movement, current, and filtration. The methods of filtration should include biological, chemical, mechanical and protein skimming. For salt water aquarium to sustain life there must be a place where biological activity can take place. This is where nitrifying bacteria convert ammonia and other waste products to nitrite and then to nitrate, a less harmful compound. This process is known as the nitrogen cycle. Periodic water changes will replenish nutrients, stabilize the water and prevent a buildup of nitrate in the aquarium system.
The invention relates to filtration and the creation of direct adjustable water flow and current in the salt water aquarium. The technology, methods and devices of the prior art have associated with them specific problems and inefficiencies to which my invention is drawn.
A search of the prior art did not disclose any patents that read directly on the claims of the invention; however, for background purposes and as indicative of the art to which the invention relates, reference may be made to the following patents found in the search:
U.S. PAT. NO.DATE ISSUEDINVENTORCLASS/SUBCLASS5,171,438Dec. 15, 1992Korez210/1695,385,665Jan. 31, 1995Neuhaus210/1695,518,611May 21, 1996Bresolin210/1695,832,870Nov. 10, 1998Lin119/2615,901663May 11, 1999Reinke119/2596,303,028Oct. 16, 2001Marks et al.210/1696,659,043Dec. 9, 2003Huska119/2266,732,675May 11, 2004Liao119/259
The basic common devices of the prior art used for filtering and creating a direct adjustable water flow and current in the salt water aquarium consist of the canister filter, basic filter the wet-dry or sump system, the protein skimmer and the use of individual submersible or external pumps. Canister and basic filters operate in or out of the aquarium. They receive water from the aquarium, pass it through filter media and then by a means send the filtered water back to the aquarium. Wet-dry or sump filters receive water from the aquarium, filter it biologically, chemically, mechanically or by way of protein skimming and then by a means return the filtered water back to the aquarium. A protein skimmer is a unit requiring a means to mix water and air in a chamber and a means to allow the waste extracted to exit the aquarium system. It can function in or out of the aquarium or sit inside or outside of a wet-dry or sump filter. Individual submersible or external pumps are used to create direct adjustable water flow or currents inside the aquarium.
In the design and function of the canister or basic filter, there are problems and inefficiencies. The performance of these filters is limited to only basic biological, mechanical and chemical filtration. These filters only draw water in from below the surface level, leaving floating waste and debris to accumulate on the surface of the water of the aquarium. Whether they function in or out of the aquarium the waste accumulated in the filter could foul the water of the system before it is removed. The water passing through the filter and returning to the tank is not independent of the function of filtration; therefore, it is not a direct dedicated source of current for the aquarium. As waste and debris accumulate in the filter, the flow of water back to the aquarium could slow down and put additional stress on the pump and the aquatic system. Furthermore, for the simple nature of their function the units and their parts are complicated to manufacture.
The use of the wet-dry or sump system is a common method used to filter salt water aquariums. Upon examination, the problems and inefficiencies associated with this system become apparent. Wet-dry or sump systems require that the aquarium be drilled and a pre-filter installed or they require the use of an overflow box that relies on a siphon to remove the water from the aquarium if they are to function outside of the aquarium. These required conditions are complicated, expensive to create and add many points of failure to the system. If a wet-dry is to function inside of the aquarium utilizing a trickle method of filtration, evaporation becomes a problem due to the limited space and the requirement to maintain different levels of water accurate in the system. Due to the fact that wet-dry or sump systems perform their functions with their modes of filtration operating adjacent to one another, within an outer casing, the overall size of the unit becomes a disadvantage and these units end up positioned below the aquarium or become obtrusive inside the aquarium.
A wet-dry or sump system requires three pumps to perform filtration, provide protein skimming and create a direct, independent, dedicated current inside the aquarium. External wet-dry or sump systems that use a trickle method of filtration add additional surface area to the aquarium system which results in excessive evaporation. When a wet-dry or sump system utilizes a protein skimmer, the water drawn into the skimmer has already been passed through some previous method of filtration. This event drastically reduces the efficiency of the skimming effect. In addition, a wet-dry or sump system creates excessive, unwanted noise and (based upon the extent of its functions and structural requirements relative to its size and the amount of water that it must hold) it can be complicated and expensive to manufacture.
The protein skimmer of the prior art is a unit with a means to create a mixture of air and water. This form of filtration is known as foam fractionation. Some of the problems and inefficiencies associated with the protein skimmer are that it performs only one function requires its own pump and (because of the nature of its function) is complicated to manufacture. In addition, if it functions outside of the aquarium it becomes a point of failure for leakage. If it functions within the aquarium it only draws water in from below the surface, leaving organic wastes to accumulate on the surface of the aquarium water. While in the aquarium, the protein skimmer takes away from the aesthetic nature of the marine environment. Some models function inside or outside of the wet-dry or sump system. The problem here is that the water that is drawn into the skimmer has already been filtered through the wet-dry or sump. This event drastically reduces the efficiency of the skimming effect. The most efficient protein skimmer will draw in raw unfiltered water from the surface and below the surface of the aquarium, giving it the chance to remove organic waste and push it out of the system before it gets trapped in other filter media to remain in the system. Furthermore, a stand-alone unit outside of the wet-dry or sump requires additional plumbing for installation and is a point of failure for possible leakage.
In the prior art, the individual submersible pump installed in the aquarium or a pump cooperating with a filter system are used to create current in the aquarium. These methods have with them associated problems and inefficiencies in their function. The individual submersible pump in the aquarium adds excess heat to the system, requires more power, adds extra expense, and also results in an additional point of failure. The pump is mounted inside the aquarium, is difficult to hide aesthetically, and may pose a threat to small fish and invertebrates that go near its intake.
In the prior art, when it comes to creating water current in an aquarium, a pump that cooperates with a filter system is inefficient in its function in several ways. The pumps first function is to pass water through filtration and this main event determines the size and water flow characteristics of the pump. This leaves the current creating requirement of the function dependent upon what pump is needed to make the filter work properly. A simple example of this problem is to try to get a pump that needs to flow water through filtration at 40 gallons per hour to create a current in an aquarium equivalent to 400 gallons per hour. Certain marine invertebrates require high currents irrelevant of the requirements of the rate of flow through filtration. The creation of direct water flow and current is most efficient when it is independent of the activity of filtration. Another illustration of this is during feedings. When the aquarium system has water flow and current that exceed the rate of filtration, more nutrition can be taken up by the animals and less of it ends up in the filter as a waste product. This leads to more efficient feedings, reduced cost and less bio-load added to the system.